Don't Take the Girl
by BrierGarden
Summary: A short story based on Tim McGraw's touching song. "..But papa…She's..she's ..she's so girly! I don't want her to go!" It was true, Brittany wore a yellow and pink sundress and her hair was pinned back out of her face with a ducky hair clip , but that didn't stop it from blowing everywhere in the wind. In her hand she clutched a bright pink toy fishing pole.


**~8 Years Old~**

* * *

Santana followed close behind her papa trying to help as best she could. The bundled up sleeping bag in her arms was almost twice her size and she seemed to run into everything as she waddled out to the car. This was her first camping trip and she could hardly contain her excitement. For the past week she used each show-and-tell moment to tell everyone in her second grade class of all the different wild animals she would be seeing and how they should all be jealous because she was going to come back with a lion for a pet. If they didn't want to be eaten they should save up their candy and give it to her as tribute. Even at a young age Santana was a no-nonsense kind of girl.

"_Papa how much longer I want to go now!"_ Santana whined at her father as she nearly tripped over her untied shoe.

_ "Whoa there kiddo take it easy."_Xavier Lopez said taking the bundle from the little girls arms. "_We're almost ready, we're just waiting for someone. Tie your shoe before you trip Santana"_

The raven haired little girl gave a huff and a pout before bending down to tie her shoes. It took a few tries, but she finally managed to pull the rabbit through the hole leaving to perfect sized bunny-ear-knots in both shoes. She stood and ran back into the house to grab more things that they would need, her black braid whipped around behind her as she went.

Santana reemerged from the house this time carrying a stack of three pillows.

_ "Santana come put those down I have a friend for you to meet."_

The little Latin girl tried to see who it could be, but the pillows completely blocked her vision. In her excitement to see who it was, Santana stepped on her own extra long bunny ears and fell face first to the ground. Luckily she had been holding pillows which broke her fall. The first thing she heard was the soft sound of giggling. Her big brown eyes looked up as she fought back tears from her wounded pride. She was met with a pair of equally big blue eyes and a hand extended out to her.

"_I'm sorry I didn't mean to laugh. Are you okay?"_ Santana swatted the girls hand away. She didn't need anyone's help, especially not someone who had just laughed at her.

She handed the pillows to her father and brushed off her overalls.

_ "I'm alright."_

Santana eyed the girl carefully. She recognized her from down the street. They had never spoken before, but it was clear to Santana by the way the straw blond held herself that she was kind of weird. Santana looked up expectantly at her father.

_"Santana, this is Brittany. We offered to bring her on our camping trip so you would have someone your own age to play with."_

Santana gave a small groan.

_"..But papa…She's..she's ..she's so girly! I don't want her to go!"_

It was true, Brittany wore a yellow and pink sundress and her hair was pinned back out of her face with a ducky hair clip , but that didn't stop it from blowing everywhere in the wind. In her hand she clutched a bright pink toy fishing pole.

"_Please papa! We can take anyone else you want just not this girl! Pleeeeaaaasee!"_ Santana grabbed her father's shirt and tugged as she complained about Brittany.

_"Santana Marie Lopez, silencio! You are being very rude, hija."_ Xavier bent down and took his daughters hands " I know this isn't what you had planned , but I promise you're going to have fun. Someday you're not going to mind"

He turned to the small blond and took her hand and placed it in Santana's.

_"Now I want you to start over and __**be nice**__ Santana. I'm going to go get more things in the house._" Xavier left the two standing there in silence.

Santana looked down at the pale skin in her hand and back up at Brittany's bright blue eyes. _"Hi I'm Santana ….do you like wild animals?"_

**~18 Years Old~**

* * *

Santana stepped out into the cool night air holding tight to her girlfriends hand. The tall lengthy blond gave a small shiver , so Santana wrapped her arms around her.

_"I can't believe I let you talk me into seeing that San."_ Brittany shook her head in total disbelief.

Every Sunday night the local cinema played old black and white horror movies for the midnight show. Santana smiled to herself. She knew she'd never be able to take Brittany to a modern horror movie because she wouldn't be able to sleep for a week, but a campy black and white would have her adorable girl just scared enough to cling to her for the rest of the night.

_ Maybe she'll even want to sleepover and cuddle.._ Santana thought

_ "It wasn't that scary Britt Britt" _She said with a playful nudge as they made their way past the crowed and headed to the car.

There were a few dirty looks shot in their direction, but both girls were so caught up in one another they didn't notice or care.

_ "Don't pretend like you weren't scared. I saw you jump like..a bunch of times. Not to mention the death grip you had on my hand."_

She giggled and gave Santana a small peck on the cheek when they reached the car. Busted.

_"Hey!"_

Santana caught the blonds hand as she moved to get into the car. Delicately she pulled Brittany back to her and wrapped her arms around her waist.

_ "Your girlfriend does not get scared" _She said with a sweet smile.

Lightly she leaned forward pressing her lips to the lips of the little girl she had met many years ago.

The two stood in front of Santana's car locked in a loving embrace. In their eyes the entire world had come to a halt. The only thing that mattered was that they were together. Unfortunately the world did not stop for them.

In a series of moments everything changed. One moment Santana was leaning in closer, brushing back a few strands of blond hair, deepening their kiss and the next Brittany was being torn from her arms with a violent jerk. The blond gave a loud scream that echoed in the empty parking lot ,but was quickly muffled by a gloved hand. Santana's eyes snapped open with a murderous glare. _"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUC…"_ she heard the sound of a metallic click. Everything suddenly became real when she saw the barrel of a gun pressed lightly to Brittany's head.

Santana's heart stopped beating when she saw the look of pure terror in her girlfriends eyes. She could see the tears beginning to pool.

_" Please."_ Santana whispered. _" Please don't do this. What do you want, I'll give you anything just please let her go."_

The masked man motioned to the purse Brittany had dropped. It was clear that he wanted very little to do with them.

_"Money? The car? Here have it._" Santana said unable to hide the desperation in her voice.

She bent down slowly, with her hands where he could see them, and picked up her girlfriends bag.

_Please don't let this be a hate crime. Please don't let this be a hate crime. Please don't let this be a hate crime__**...**_ kept replaying over and over again in her head because if it was they had no hope of walking away.

Santana collected everything they had of value and put it into one bag quickly, including her car keys. With her hands raised she carefully stepped forward and extended her arm for him to take. The robber used the hand he had clasped over Brittany's mouth to take the bag. He released the blond and shoved her into Santana.

Still holding them at gun point he growled

"_On your knees both of you. Turn around._"

Santana grabbed tight to Brittany kissing her forehead.

"_Your okay baby I've got you."_

Her eyes darted back to the man who still had the gun on them.

_ "You have what you want just leave us alone and go."_ She pleaded with him. Brittany whimpered and cried silently.

_** "**__NOW!__**"**_ he shouted at them to show he meant business.

Without breaking eye contact Santana slowly sank down to her knees bringing Brittany down with her.

_"Shh baby its going to be okay. I'm right here with you."_ She whispered trying to keep the girl calm. Her fingers tentatively found Brittany's and held them.

_ "No matter what I love you"_ She said quietly.

**~23 years old~**

* * *

Santana stepped out of the shower to the smell of fresh warm chocolate chip cookies.

_ "God I love her"_ She mumbled to her self with a happy smile.

She dried off quickly and threw on her comfy sweat pants, late night cookies were the best. The small Latina rounded the corner to the kitchen leaning up against the frame to watch her beautiful wife pull the treats out of the oven. The tall blond set the tray on the top of the stove and turned to the side so that Santana could see her big round belly. Joy seemed to radiate off Brittany's skin and it made her love the girl even more each time she saw her wife.

"_Santana why didn't you tell me you were standing right there silly and what are you staring at_?" She giggled and pulled two glasses down from the cabinet. "_I thought I'd make us some cookies, want some?_" She poured out two glasses of milk.

Santana causally walked over and put her arms around the beautiful girl.

_ "I was just admiring how gorgeous you are."_ She said with a cheesy sweet grin.

She leaned up to kiss Brittany's forehead and then bent down to give the blonds belly a kiss too. Brittany rolled her eyes

"S_an I'm huge, but I hope when our daughter grow up she's just as sweet and cheesy as you are. Also be careful babe those cookies are still hot"_ She said taking a sip of her milk.

_ "When have I ever said no to late night cookies?"_ Santana said with a small hint of childish excitement.

She went to grab one of the little treats but dropped it almost instantly.

_ " Ouch! Crap! Those are hot!"_ the raven haired girl hissed sticking her burnt finger into her mouth.

_ "Santana."_ Brittany said a little worried.

"_It's okay baby I'm fine I just need to run some cold water over it."_ she turned on the fossett.

_ " No. Santana..!_" Brittany said a little more panicked.

_ "What? What is it..are you okay?"_ She turned to look at her best friend and saw the front of her pants were drenched.

Her jaw drop.

"_oh…o-oh my god! Now. It's happening now! Aye dios mio it's happening…oh crap um …okay baby just breathe …the stuff…where is the stuff."_

Santana's sudden change in attitude would have been hilarious to Brittany if she wasn't about to have a baby. Okay in all honesty it was still a little funny. After the initial shock Brittany regained her cool, if only for Santana's sake.

_" Yes Santana I think it's pretty clear that this is happening now. The bag is in the hall closet..I'm going to go wait in the car."_ She said taking a deep breath trying to force herself to relax.

**~8 hours later~**

* * *

Santana sat in the small hospital room holding on to Brittany's hand and wiping the sweat from her face. The little Latina was still in her pjs, her hair was down in a totally unattractive mess, and she had no make up on what so ever. However none of that mattered because the love of her life was about to have their first child.

"_You are doing so great Britt Britt…just a little bit more and we can go home and be a family._" She cooed and coaxed.

Brittany had just reached the point where she had to push. They had agreed a long time ago that Santana would not be one of those spouses who yelled 'push' at their wives so instead she stuck with other words of encouragement.

"_Come on baby you can do this I'm right here. Your doing so good."_ Santana tried to say over Brittany's yelling. The blond took a small break to collect her strength.

"_Santana..next time ..it's your turn."_ She managed to say before using all her strength to push again.

The entire birth took a little over two hours. Santana was guided around to watch the baby emerge covered in an assortment of bodily fluids. Her hands covered her mouth and tears rolled down her eyes as the little arms and legs came out to say hello.

_"oh my god…she's so beautiful"_ Santana whispered.

Her heart-felt like it was about to explode from her chest. She was so over come with love and adoration for the two most beautiful women in her life.

"_You did it Britt"_ She said moving back to kiss her wife's forehead.

Brittany gave a weak smile as her eyes fluttered open and closed. Something seemed just a little off. She knew her wife had to be exhausted, but her gut was telling her that Brittany should be a little more alert then she was.

The heart monitor to Santana's right began beeping loudly. She spun around to look at it and back to the doctors. There was a sudden panic.

"_W-what's going on ..what's wrong.."_ Santana's mind raced to try and keep up.

She heard one nurse call to another about a 'postpartum hemorrhage' and that they'd need a transfusion.

"_Somebody tell me what the hell is happening!"_ Santana shouted in frustration.

_ "Miss Lopez we're going to have to ask you to leave now."_ One nurse said guiding her to the door.

_ "What's wrong with Brittany..the baby? …What's going on"_ Santana was growing more agitated and beginning to panic.

_"The baby is fine , but your wife is fading. There is nothing left for you to do. Please Mrs. Lopez, step outside."_ The nurse said pushing Santana out.

Santana froze just outside the door.**'**_Your wife is fading….There is nothing left for you to do_**.'** Those few words hit the small girl like a sledge hammer.

_ "No. no. nononono. This isn't happening."_ Santana began to sob as she sank down to her knees.

Her friends and family all stood around holding each other just as afraid as she was.

"_ Please God no! I know that I am not the best person or even a good christian ,but please don't do this to me. Brittany….she's everything. She is light and goodness and everything that is perfect in this awful world"_ Santana slumped into a ball on the floor. _"God just…fuck… take me. I don't care. Just not her please. God please don't take her."_ Santana cried and prayed.

**~31 years old~**

* * *

Santana carried a large box of camping supplies out to the car. She snuck a small glance behind her to see a pair of stubby little legs tripping over a pair of untied shoe laces hidden behind a large sleeping bag. Santana couldn't help but smirk. Her daughter was absolutely precious.

"_Hand that here Mi hija_."

She set her own box down and took the sleeping bag from the little girl's hands and packing it inside the car. She reached down and picked up the little girl and pretended to pack her in the car too.

_"Oh wait! Little girls get their own seats don't they?_" She said booping the little blue-eyed blond on the nose.

The little girl giggled wildly.

"_Mami you're so silly"_ She wrapped her arms around Santana's neck and gave her a big squeeze.

_ "I love you"_ She said.

_"I love you too Mi hija, but now we need to finish packing this car up before your mama finds out other wise she's going to gobble you up."_

Santana set the little girl down and tickled her belly until she screamed with laughter.

_"Okay okay go get the pillows yea?"_ She patted the little blonds butt and the girl took off for the house.

_ "Aye Hope! Tie your shoes too!"_ She called after her.

Santana walked back to the house to grab more things to pack. Brittany stood in the doorway with a giant smile on her face.

"_You and her are just too cute together." _She said pulling the raven haired girl into a deep kiss.

Brittany pulled away and looked lovingly into Santana's eyes.

"_Now aren't you glad your daddy took the girl?"_ Both girls smiled knowingly at one another and held each other tight as they kissed again.

"_Ew not again! Mami…Mommy... Can we go soon? I really wanna see the animals?"_ little Hope said impatiently.

Brittany looked down at her daughter.

"_We're going to leave soon sweety we're just waiting on someone. So tie your shoes and go put the pillows in the car._"

She looked back and Santana and gave her a small wink. Santana just shook her head and laughed.

**The End**


End file.
